Regulator.



No. 879,029. PATENTED FEB. 11, 1908. J. M. BLACKBURN.

REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1907.

I T 0 all whom it may 'concern:-

'\ JAMES M. BLACKBURN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

REGl ILATOR.

No. 879,029. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1 1 1908.

. I Application filed Debember 2. 1907. Serial No. 404.720.

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. BLACKBURN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Regulators,

of whichthe following 1s a specification.

It is well knownthat gas, as ordinarily supplied for heating and illuminating purposes, valies greatly in pressure in different localities in the same city and sometimes in different parts of the same building, the result being that the burners cannot be depended upon to 'limit the'flow of gas. For mstance, a burner which is rated to consume eight feet per hour might in some locations consume eight feet or less, while in other 10- cations it might consume considerably more gas withiless effect. When the pressure is abnormally then'gas' flows fromthe burners-with a disagreeable whistling noise and considerable waste.

My invention is' intended to render the pressure in' any system of'house pipes substantially uniform regardless of the pressure in the main; By connecting my device with thegasfpipeat or near the meter, the entire the house system, as ma supp y or the building may be regulated, or the device may be connected to any part of be desired. In some instances two of the evices will be used in asingle building, one u on the pipes leading to the heating and coo apparatus and the other upon the pipes supplyinggas for illumination.

- The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which, v

Figure 1 is alongitudinal central section of a'device embodying the present-invention; Figs; 2 and 3 are transverse sections on the lines 2 and 3.respectively;'Fig. '4 is a .plan view of the bafile plate; Fig- 5 is a side view of the valve. 4

Referring to the drawing, 10 and 11 are couplings of an suitable character for connecting theregu ator to a gasservice pipe. The gas enters the regulator at the coupler 10 and passes through a tube 12 into a regulator ch amer 13. The casing of this regulator chamber may be of any suitable form, the cylindrical form illustrated being preferred. For convenienc'e in assembling the parts the casing is provided with a'removable cap 14 which is united with the casing by a threaded joint.

The gas flows from the casing throu h an, outthreaded openingin the cap 14. The outflow pipe 15 is provided with a series of internal ongitudinal tapering grooves 16 which are of larger cross section at their upper ends than at their lower ends. The interior of the pipe 15 is otherwise cylindrical and within the pipe is a cylindrical valve 17 which is adapted to move freely up' and down but which shut-s oil practically all of the exceptthat which passes around the valve through the grooves 16. Means, such as the annular stops 18, 19, are provided for limiting the movement of the valve 17. 1

WVhen the valve is in its lowest position, resting on the stop 18, a very limited amount of gas is permitted to pass through one or valve and through the grooves which at this point are very shallow. The valve would occupy this position when but one or two smal burners are in operation. When more sure above and below the' valve causes the valve to rise until it registers with deeper portions of the grooves 16-and' a greater amount of gas is thus permitted to pass. Notches or openings 17 are formed in the upper end of the valve to permit the gas to pass when the valve is at its upper limit of travel, against the annular stop 19, that is when the. regulator is working at its full such that the pressure-of the gas will move it and sustain it at the proper elevation to permit a sufiicientsupply of gas to pass and e delivered at an economical and efficient ,pressure. I have found an aluminium valve evident that other materials may be used, it being only necessary that the weight of the valve should be in proper proportion to its area. The valve should be of sufficient length to prevent it from canting and sticking in the tube.

It is necessary to provide a bafile plate in line with'the inlet tube 12 to prevent the direct flow of gas from the main striking the valve 17, and for this purpose I arrange a plate 20 transversely in the casing 13 above the inlet tube. The plate 20 has notches 'or p enings 21 near its periphery which permit t egas to pass indirectly from the tube 12 to the tube 15. s

It is found that the pressure in the mains varies indifferent localities and to adjust my regulator to difl'erent normal pressures, I

more notches 17 in the lower end of the burners are turned on the difference in 'pres capacity. The weight of the valve 17 is make the outflow pipe longitudinally adamount of gas which may enter it and I provide a valve for closing the lower end of this the gas may be shutoff altoget er. '15

' ing, preferably by a s through the grooves lenough and the grooves vary suificiently in 1 central ortion of the valve.

' 'preferab When but one or two burners are in operation cally although it may be inclined more or that t \e regulator described will preserve a substantial ly uniform pressure at the burners,

tube 15 and by turning-the tube down the passes around the baffle 'chamberior casing 13. of gas is thus prevented ,outflow tube 15 and more or less of it passes the maximum in the building regulator is intended,

pressure may be varied either by adjusting justable in the casing to limit more orless the ipe. As shown the valve consists of a disk 22 which is oised on; a central projection 23 on the bafiii: plate; The valve disk 22 is provided with openings similar to those in the baffle plate to ermit the gas to pass freely around it; -T e free to adjust itself-to the lower end of the amount of gas enter-ing it can here ulated or The valve plate 22 and the baffle plate are permanently held in positions shown in the drawring 24.

The 0 eration of t e regulator is as follows: '1 e gas entering. through the tube 12 impinges on "the baflie plate 20 and then late and into Ihe be direct current from striking the The gasthen enters the floating 'valve 17.

around the valve in said tube, depending upon the number of-burners which main use. The tube is made long area'to supply any number of however the pressure is not always suflicient to raise the valve and it is preferred to form the valve, or its-seat, with one or more small I notches to permit a small flow of gas to pass. The regulator'is preferably arranged vertiless.

In ractical operation it has been found regardless of the number in use nnd this the inlettuse 12 toward and from the ballle plate or by adjustingthe-outflow tube 15 valve plate 22 isthus 4 adjustable therein toward and from the valve plate 22; It will be evident that the valve plate 22 may be dispensed with and'a single plate used both for a'valve and 'bafile.

Having described my invention what I' claim and-desire to secure by Letters-Fab ent is,

1. In a gas bination with a casing, of an inflow tube, an

the outflow tube having grooves of gradually increasing sectional area, and a floating valve in said outflow-tube.

2. In a gas regulating device, the combination with a casing-of aninlet tube, an outflow tube, and an intermediate baffle, one of said lubes being-adjustable in the casing toward and from the baflfle, and one of saidtubes being provided with internal ooves of varying cross-section, and with a oatin regulating device, the oin} '65- outflow tube, and an intermediate -baflle,,

cylindrical valve. 4 v

3. In a gas regulating device, the'combination with a casing'having an inlet opening, of a battle in line with said openin and an outflow tube, said outflow tube having a cylindrical floating valve therein, 'stops to limit the movement of said'valve, and tapering grooves in the inner wall of the tube to permit more orless gas to pass around said valve.'

4. In a gas regulating device, the combination with a casing havin an inlet'operring, of a baffle within the caslng in line with said opening,- ported on said baflie, valve pl ate' and baffle innormal position, and an outflow tube mounted in the casing and toward and from the said outflow tube being-provided valve plate,

for varying the opening therein with means to regulate the discharge of gas from the casing.

5 In a gas regulating device, the combination with the casing having an inletopening, and an outflow tube having tapering grooves in its inner well, said outflow tube having a contracted inlet and 'a floating valve arranged above said inlet.

; In testimony whereof I aflix-my signature in presence of two witnesses. 1

JAMES M. BLACKBURN;

' Witnesses: I I

ARMSTEAD- M. Warm, ISRAEL B. Bnomnv a valve plate pivotallysupa spring for holdlngthe i of a baffle in line withsaid opening, 

